Battle Chasers: Nightwar has nothing new except for its stunning game style. Indeed, the illustrated, comics style brings freshness to this game style. Note how the conversation font, put into bubble speeches helps emphasizes the friendly, illustration-type experience throughout the game.

As I grew up, I’ve noticed in retrospect that we all had this incredible skill of recognizing someone by their footsteps. Well, Overwatch’s design team took advantage of that fact and crafted unique sound effects for each character’s footsteps. That’s right ! You can know wether a Reaper will reap you in the next second or if it’s actually a Mercy, running for her life.

I love how the soothing, yet melancholic melody helps you ease into the horror that follows. A smooth, slow animation, brings a little bit of peace and quiet – allowing the player to feel refreshed, restored and safe … just for a little bit.

Red Dead Redemption 2’s beautiful map design features clear information, good hierarchy, high contrast, and an hand-drawn illustration style that fits the era RDR2 is set perfectly. This progressive map, treated as a travel diary, helps the player get more involved and better acquainted with it.

Overwatch’s extensive character interactions helps develop the storyline. By creating real-like conversations between specific characters, Blizzard’s designers make for more relatable, more credible character story. Hear Reinhardt and Torbjorn’s banter in this excerpt.

Assassin’s creed logo is now very famous. But did you ever wonder what it meant ? The “A” shape is obviously linked to “Assassin” however, it also looks like the bottom part of an Eagle’s skull. Good logos are often bearer of meaning and symbols.

Some may describe it as minimalist game, however, if you look closely, nothing is minimalistic. The quantity of details and colors and layers make for a stunningly aesthetically pleasing experience. See how the use of abstract shapes (diamond shaped trees, walls and other element) help cement the art direction into this interactive experience.

Transistor’s experience would have been much blander without the game soundtrack. It also drives emotions throughout the game. Moreover, it ties-in closely with the game as it emphasizes the importance of our protagonist “Red” (Ashley Barrett), being a singer and featuring her voice while playing. It just enhances the relationship the player will have with Red.

An iconic sound effect that is known throughout the world. A jingle symbolizing joy, success and achievement. À unique melody that carries this recurrent moment, and transforms it from à redundant action to an epic, pleasurable feeling of accomplishment.

A minimalistic title screen combined with a slow, jazzy melody sets up the mood for the whole game and invites the player into this world of detectives and murders. It’s the light flicker that makes it not boring to look at.

Assassin’s Creed 2’s designers delivered a slick, modern experience in the game menus. Apart from being particularly flowy, notice how the very high Red / White contrast makes for an incredibly clear information hierarchy. What sets this menu UI apart is the thematic tie-in with the game story. By creating à DNA shaped progression bar, the player sees his progress and has now more incentive to add shards of memories to it.

Both the typeface and its treatment announce well what type of game is to follow. Notice how the words “Shadow” and “Warrior” are merged, one hiding behind the other, creating an interesting, unique shape, while still keeping the phrase perfectly legible. The blood-like splatters and sword cuts underlines the bloody, violent & gore style of the game.

A beautiful, minimalist game design that follows the gameplay. The diegetic interface provides only the strict minimum for the player to interact with the environment. And because it never takes you out of the game (through menu screens and other title screens) it enhance greatly the immersion – making for a more involved player. However, it’s effectiveness smoothly teaches how to go about the world and interact with different elements.

Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl’s dark, humoristic take on a chapter of the Bible create a unique, distinctive story that is told through a quick, cute and quirky opening cutscene. Notice how the child-like drawings help give richness and depth to how the story is told.

Audible in the first few minutes of the game, this distinctive jingle creates attachment to the game and sets up a humoristic and futuristic tone, continuously found throughout your underwater journey.